ONLY GATORS Get Out Alive » Georgia Bulldogs

No. 19 Gators pound Bulldogs 70-48 at home

Adam Silverstein — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 02:09:23 +0000

Looking to rebound from a double-digit upset loss to Tennesee on the road last Saturday, the No. 19 Florida Gators (13-4, 1-1 SEC) put their collective foot to the pedal at home against the Georgia Bulldogs (9-7, 0-2 SEC), routing their border rivals 70-48 at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center in Gainesville, FL on Tuesday.

Breaking out of a four-game funk, freshman guard Bradley Beal led the Gators with a double-double of 17 points on 4-of-7 shooting (4-of-6 from downtown) and 10 rebounds. Junior G Kenny Boynton matched him with 17 points of his own and was equally efficient, hitting 5-of-8 shots from the field and all five of his free throws.

If intensity and aggression were what Florida was missing over the weekend, the Gators found those characteristics early in the game, jumping out to a 7-0 lead capped by Beal’s first three-pointer of the game. Georgia started 1-for-10 from the floor, but the Bulldogs eventually found their touch, scoring six-straight to reduce UF’s advantage to two.

That is when Florida broke out. Redshirt junior G Mike Rosario scored seven-straight points for the Gators and Beal added a trio of treys as part of a 22-4 run that gave UF a 20-point lead. UGA, however, took an 8-2 scoring stretch into the break to reduce their deficit to 14 points heading into the locker rooms.

Though Beal was strong for Florida in the opening half – hitting 4-of-5 shots from beyond the arc – the rest of the team took a while to get going, starting 0-for-6 from downtown.

The Gators extended their lead to 25 points early in the second half until an 8-0 run by the Bulldogs cut Florida’s advantage back down to 13 points with 7:02 left in the game.

Georgia kept the pressure on for a bit, but UF quickly got back to form, draining threes and playing quality defense. The Gators held the Bulldogs to just 48 points on the evening, a season-low for Florida’s defense.

UF has now defeated UGA in 10-straight games played in the O’Dome.

Boynton, who hit a pair of treys in the contest, moved into a tie for second on Florida’s all-time list of consecutive games with a three-pointer (Brett Nelson, 33). Gators sophomore center Patric Young got plenty of looks but scored just eight points to go along with a game-high 10 boards, which Beal also achieved.

Florida junior forward Erik Murphy was an uncharacteristic 0-for-4 from beyond the arc but notched two blocks in the contest and now has 13 over the last five games.

UF was once again outrebounded 34-33 by UGA, which had 14 takes via the offensive glass. The Gators only had eight assists on 24 baskets but turned the ball over just six times on the evening. Florida also shot 50 percent from the field (24-of-48) and 83.3 percent from the line (15-of-18).

Coming off a game in which their bench scored just one point, the Gators’ reserves posted 16 on Tuesday. Florida also maintained a lead the entire contest.

The Gators will look to keep their positive momentum going as they head back on the road to face South Carolina on Saturday at 7 p.m.. Florida is 0-4 in true road games this season and will look to earn their first victory live on Comcast Sports South.

FOUR BITS: Hilliard, soccer, Wambach, drugs

Adam Silverstein — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 15:44:05 +0000

1 » Former Florida Gators wide receiver Ike Hilliard (1994-96) was announced Thursday by the Southeastern Conference as a member of its 2011 Football Legends Class. Hilliard and 11 other former players will be honored during the SEC “Weekend of Champions,” which culminates with the SEC Championship on Dec. 3.

Ike Hilliard finished his college career with 126 catches, which is seventh-best in UF history, for 2,214 yards, fourth-best in school history, and 29 TDs, third-best total in SEC history. He tallied a TD/catch ratio of 4.34 (29TDs/126 catches) which ranks second in Gator history. He was named a first-team All-SEC selection and an All-American as a senior in 1996. Hilliard was selected in the first round of the 1997 NFL Draft by the New York Giants, Hilliard went on to play 12 NFL seasons, recording 546 career receptions for 6,397 yards and 35 TDs. The Patterson, La. Native, played his first eight seasons with the Giants and finished his NFL playing career playing four seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He was inducted into the University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame as a “Gator Great” in 2009.

2 » No. 23 Florida soccer (15-6, 7-4 SEC) took its first step toward making up for a disappointing finale to their regular season with a 2-0 win over the Georgia Bulldogs (12-6, 6-3-2 SEC) in the opening round of the 2011 SEC Tournament on Wednesday. Senior midfielder/forward Tahnai Annis scored both of the Gators’ goals, one at 26’ and another at 45’. Florida advances to face Alabama on Friday for an opportunity to advance to the event’s finals.

3 » Sports Illustrated’s Chris Mahr is touting former Gators striker Abby Wambach as his pick for Sportsman of the Year, an honor that SI will announce on Dec. 6. In this piece, Mahr refers to her as a “soccer luminary” and one of the “most prolific scorers in U.S. history.” He even says her header in the quarterfinals against Brazil was “arguably more enthralling” than Landon Donovan’s last-second goal against Algeria in the 2010 World Cup and notes that her other big-time headers against France and Japan propelled the United States to the finals and gave them a chance to win the whole thing. Mahr makes a strong argument for Wambach to win the award but with so much competition she may have a rough time ranking above the other nominated athletes.

4 » Tackling the drug policies of most major college football programs, CBS Sports’ Brett McMurphy submitted public records requests to each school (or looked up an institution’s policy on its own website) and compiled this list. Florida falls in line with many programs nationally and hold separate policies for marijuana and other drugs.

Florida: For marijuana/synthetic marijuana: (1) none; (2) 10 percent of games; (3) 20 percent of games; (4) dismissal. For all other drugs: (1) 50 percent of games; (2) dismissal.

Extra BIT » Former Gators basketball star Craig Brown will return this year as a permanent broadcaster for the Gator Basketball Radio Network. Brown, who is famous for being a part of Florida’s run to the Final Four in the 1994 NCAA Tournament and retiring as the team’s all-time leader in three-pointers, will provide color commentary alongside play-by-play man Mick Hubert this season, a role he held on occasion one year ago.

10/29: Florida vs. Georgia post-game notes

Adam Silverstein — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 17:54:30 +0000

The Florida Gators (4-4, 2-4 SEC) lost yet again on Saturday, dropping a close one to the No. 22 Georgia Bulldogs (6-2, 5-1 SEC) at EverBank Field in Jacksonville, FL. Florida has now lost four-straight game for the first time since 1988, leaving head coach Will Muschamp with a lot of questions and decisions to answer going forward. OGGOA takes a look at some of the notable occurrences before, during and after Saturday’s game with notes and quotes from both Muschamp and the players.

MUSCHAMP’s GAME RECAP

Early in his post-game media availability, Muschamp provides his own quick recap of the game as he sees it from offense, defense and special teams.

“We had our opportunities in the game. You have two turnovers inside your 25-yard-line, you give up 14 points on two critical fourth-down plays, the lack of being able to run the football, too many penalties in critical situations. Obviously John [Brantley] went and [it was] a gutsy performance on his part. Very proud of him and his effort. He was a guy who really laid it on the line. We couldn’t get him under center to do some of the things we wanted to do; we knew that going into the game. We felt like we had some things in the throwing game and that’s why we stayed with what we wanted to do in that situations. We got to find some ways to run the football. We cannot be so one-dimensional. That’s something we’ve got to work on. We got a turnover inside the 10, we wind up with two sacks and are out of field goal range. Those are very frustrating to deal with, but we had our opportunities in the last two ball games. We got to close it out and win those games.”

INJURIES AND ABSENCES

Though redshirt senior quarterback John Brantley returned for the Gators, he was severely limited due to his ankle injury and was unable to take snaps from under center. Some other players were held out of the game, while even more were hurt during the contest, further hurting Florida’s already lacking depth going forward.

Redshirt junior kicker Caleb Sturgis did not play after straining his leg two weeks ago against Auburn, redshirt freshman tackle Chaz Green hurt his ankle Wednesday in practice, and junior running back Mike Gillislee (ankle) dressed but did not play after injuring his ankle two weeks ago.

In the game Saturday, redshirt junior Sam linebacker Lerentee McCray hurt his shoulder, returned to notch a sack but wound up visiting the locker room and did not return for the second half. Sophomore cornerback Cody Riggs injured his wrist during the game and was also forced to leave the field.

PENALTIES, TURNOVERS AND MISCUES

The Gators had two weeks to figure out how to concentrate on discipline and fundamentals, yet their performance on Saturday seemed to indicate that absolutely nothing had been fixed over the bye week. Florida committed 14 penalties for over 100 last yards on Saturday, which unbelievably is their second-worst total of the season. UF remains last in the nation in penalties.

“There’s two different parts as far as penalties are concerned. Some of them are undisciplined and those are the ones that are tough to deal with. I’ve got to do a better job with the others, so I’ll work on it,” Muschamp said.

Perhaps worst of all, many of the Gators’ miscues in this area came at inopportune times. A pass interference call on third down extended a Georgia drive that Florida needed to stop. A personal foul call on Buck linebacker Ronald Powell on special teams pushed the Gators back to the goal line, and multiple delay of game and false start penalties either took Florida out of scoring range or pushed them far enough back where they could not put together a solid drive.

And then there are the turnovers. The Bulldogs scored 14 points off of two UF fumbles near their own red zone. Georgia posted both touchdowns through the air via jump ball passes on fourth down, each of which was converted rather easily.

“We were in position – there were a couple well-thrown balls and well-caught balls,” Muschamp said. “Both touchdowns, they’re in position to make the play and we’re playing the ball and trying to get the ball off the guy and the guy makes a heck of a throw and a heck of a catch. There’s a couple situations. They’re on scholarship too. They made nice plays, but we got to find a way to get them out though.”

INABILITY TO RUN THE FOOTBALL

Florida struggled with their running game for the fourth-straight contest but unlike previous attempts, this time it was because of a lack of trying. Due to Brantley being limited with what he could do on his ankle, the Gators were unable to call plays from under center, which in turn reduced the team’s chances of putting together a consistent power running game.

“No question it affects the run game,” Muschamp said of Brantley’s limitations. “When you’re in the [shot]gun so much and you run the ball so much east and west, you need to be able to run the ball downhill. When you’re in the gun, it’s hard to run the ball consistently downhill. He was limited with his ankle, but we felt like he gave us the best opportunity to be successful in the game, so that’s what we went with. I would do it again. John played well. We just got to figure out how we can run the ball a little bit more effectively.”

One of the other reasons that Florida has struggled running the ball is that their personnel does not fit the type of offense the team wants to run. Muschamp explained that improvement in that area will come with time.

“I think we got to get better on the line of scrimmage. It’s very difficult to run a power running game with what we want to do right now with who we have,” he admitted. “I like the guys we got, but the bottom line is looking at the situations of where we are. It doesn’t take anybody real educated to figure it out right now.”

SACK ISSUES MOSTLY – BUT NOT ALL – ON OFFENSIVE LINE

With Brantley seemingly being sacked whenever the Gators were trying to put something together, the offensive line was immediately blamed for letting too many rushers through. While that may be true most of the time, Muschamp was quick to point out after the game that there are other things going on at the same time.

“When you look at a sack, everybody wants to look at the offensive line. Did the quarterback hold the ball too long? I think there were some situations like that. There are some situations where we didn’t get open down the field and had a busted route,” he explained. “There are a lot of situations when you have a sack; it’s not just the offensive line’s fault every time it happens. That’s the easiest thing to say, but that’s not always the offensive line’s fault. If we’re in a one-back protection or two-back protection, did the backs block right? There are a lot of things that happen as far as protection issues, and that’s not always the offensive line.”

That being said, tackles junior Xavier Nixon and redshirt sophomore Matt Patchan each had their share of struggles on the evening. Nixon kept bouncing off the line for false starts and both men struggled blocking the edge rushers. Muschamp said that Florida’s inability to run the ball ensured that the edge rushers did not have to respect that part of the game, making it even tougher on the tackles and blockers.

NOTES AND QUOTES

» Muschamp on the team’s penalties: “I was disappointed with it.”

» Muschamp on not taking advantage of momentum: “It’s disappointing. You felt good about getting the kickoff return, getting some points on the board, getting some momentum for your team. And then we lay it on the ground twice. We only get one turnover defensively, and we just had some critical mistakes at critical times. We got to make those plays. I told them the last two ball games the bottom line was Auburn and Georgia made those plays and we didn’t. We’re going to have our opportunities and when we get in those situations we need to make the plays.”

» Muschamp on offensive coordinator Charlie Weis calling plays from the booth: ”Just to see the game better. We didn’t feel like we were getting the information right and were searching for some answers for this time offensively to figure out what we can do well. That was something we felt like we could benefit from.”

» Muschamp on sophomore Brad Phillips filling in for Sturgis: “Brad was outstanding. Here’s a guy that steps in, missed the first one, came back and hit two more. Kicked off extremely well with a pretty good wind coming from the one side. He kicked one real deep in the end zone when he was with the wind. I was really proud of his efforts; he stepped up when another guy went down.”

» Muschamp on defensive struggles: “We didn’t get lined up a couple times and had some tempo issues there late. That’s something we worked on and prepared for. We got to make some stops in the red zone. You got to force field goals when they’re in those situations. That’s about where it is.”

» Muschamp on now just playing for pride: “That’s the way it is all the time with me. I don’t ever really talk about the SEC race. I talk about what we got to do to get better as a program every day and stay the course of what we’re trying to do. It’s not always just about the SEC race. We don’t always talk about that. We understand our goal at the beginning of the season. We understand our expectation – the University of Florida has to go to Atlanta. Our job as a competitor is to go out every day – whether you’re a coach or a player – is to work hard to get better, work hard to improve yourself. And that’s what we’re going to do. “

» Muschamp on losing four-straight games: “I don’t really think about losing a whole lot, but obviously it’s happened so we got to regroup and reevaluate where we are. We need to move forward. It’s disappointing, and you can believe there is no one more disappointed or impatient than I am. We’ve got to evaluate ourselves first of all starting with me and then we work from there.”

» Muschamp on how he felt during the game: “I felt good the whole game. I felt like we were in a situation to go win the football game. We had the ball late to win the game. That’s what you want to be in these situations. You got to make the plays in those situations to get it done.”

» Muschamp on how far away the team is right now: “This year? We’re not close. No, I don’t. I think we’re close. I think we got to build our numbers back. I think we got to get better on the line of scrimmage.”

» Senior RB Jeff Demps on the fourth-straight loss: “Things just didn’t go our way tonight like we wanted it to. We just got to stick together as a team. We have to unite from this and stay together.”

» Demps on his kick return touchdown: “All of the credit goes to those 10 guys that were blocking. They gave me a big hole to run through and made it easy.”

» Brantley said that he was still considered “probable” up until game time. He went out early to test the ankle during warm-ups but went back to the locker room to get a bit more treatment and stay off of it was much as possible until the game began.

» Brantley on the 4th and 10 design: “It was a little bit deeper midfield. I was stepping up and knew I had to get it out – the time clock in my head said I had to get it out.”

» Brantley on Weis calling plays from the booth: “He can see the field better up there. I had the headset on each time and we were communicating just fine. There wasn’t too much of a difference.”

Florida Gators vs. No. 22 Georgia Gameday

Adam Silverstein — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 05:28:57 +0000

Location: EverBank Field – Jacksonville, FL [Capacity: 84,000]
Weather Forecast: 71°F, sunny, winds NNW at 13 mph
Time: 3:30 p.m. (ET)

TV: CBS/CBSHD
SiriusXM: 91
Online Video: CBSSports.com
Live Updates: @OnlyGators

FLORIDA GATORS	(22) GEORGIA BULLDOGS
Head Coach: Will Muschamp	Head Coach: Mark Richt
Record: 4-3 (2-3)	Record: 5-2 (4-1)
Conference: Southeastern	Conference: Southeastern
Roster \| Schedule	Roster \| Schedule

Odds: Florida +3; O/U 48.5

HOMEWORK

Need to catch up on the Gators before week four action? No problem. OGGOA has been here all week compiling a ton of information so you can do your homework on the team before its next exam Saturday afternoon at 3:30 p.m.

Story: Gators QB John Brantley remains on schedule
Notes: Florida discusses Georgia rivalry week

Muschamp’s presser | Weis comments on offense | Quinn comments on defense

HISTORY and STREAKS

» Georgia leads the all-time series against Florida 46-40-2 and holds a 40-37-1 advantage in games played in Jacksonville, FL. However, the Gators are on a three-game winning streak against the Bulldogs and also hold records of 8-2 in the last 10 match-ups and 18-3 dating back to 1990.
» Florida’s victory over Georgia in 2010 (34-31) marked the first time in the history of the series that a game went into overtime. Neither UF nor UGA was ranked in that contest for the first time since 1979.
» For the first time in series history, both the Gators and Bulldogs enter Saturday’s game coming off of a bye week. Florida took a three-game losing streak into the off week, while Georgia had won five consecutive games before getting a week of rest.
» The Bulldogs are 12-4 under Richt following a bye week.
» Richt is 2-8 against UF since taking over as head coach of UGA.
» Muschamp, who played college football for Georgia, will be facing his alma mater for the eighth time in his coaching career; he is 3-4 in the prior seven contests. As a player with the Bulldogs from 1991-94, Muschamp’s teams were 0-4 against the Gators.
» Florida is undefeated this season when out-rushing their opponent or leading at the half; however, UF is winless when tied/trailing at the half or being out-rushed.
» In their four victories, the Gators are outscoring opponents 54-3 in the first quarter, while in their losses they have been outscored 31-10. UF has also scored on their opening drive in four of seven games.
» The Bulldogs are outscoring their opponents 61-10 in the first quarter; Georgia’s defense has only allowed three first-quarter points to be scored this season.
» Florida has half as many upperclassmen (19 seniors, 14 juniors) as they do underclassmen (35 sophomores, 33 freshmen) on the roster the season.
» The Gators had a 100-yard rusher in four-straight games to start the season, the team’s second-longest streak ever, before failing to accomplish that feat in each of the last three games (all losses).
» Fourteen different Florida players made their first career start this season including five freshmen; 15 total freshmen have seen game action this year.
» The Gators offense has struggled as of late, and Florida has had major problems putting the ball in the end zone. UF has scored points in 19 of 28 quarter this season and touchdowns in only 15 of those quarters.
» Turnover margin has also been a consistent issue for the Gators. Florida is -7 on the season and has given up the ball exactly that many times in their three losses.
» The Gators not forced a turnover in three weeks after acquiring four in their previous game and seven total over the first four weeks of the season.
» UF’s offensive line has only allowed 11 sacks through seven games, making them second in the SEC in that category.
» Florida is No. 11 nationally and fifth in the SEC in total defense (289.1 yards per game). The Gators are also No. 16 nationally and third in the SEC in scoring defense (18.9 points per game).
» UF’s pass defense is allowing just 168.4 yards per game, good for third in the SEC and sixth nationally.
» The Gators’ defense is fifth in the nation in preventing third-down conversions, allowing just 27.5 percent of those attempted to be successful.
» Florida’s defense has forced the most turnovers in the SEC (311) since 2000. UF also has the most interceptions in the nation (72) since 2008.
» Georgia is the only team in the SEC to score first in every game this season.
» The Gators and Bulldogs each lead in two of the four major statistical categories. Florida tops Georgia in national averages of rushing yards 175.7-162.4 (41st-54th) and points against 18.9-20.4 (16th-27th), while UGA leads UF in passing yards 248.7-178.0 (47th-100th) and points scored 32.3-26.9 (36th-71st). The teams each defeated one common opponent – Tennessee – this season, with the Gators winning 33-23 in week three and the Bulldogs claiming victory 20-12 in week six.

LAST TIME OUT

The Florida-Georgia game one year ago was one for the ages, ending in overtime after Gators punter Chas Henry kicked a 37-yard field goal to claim a hard-fought victory. Florida led 21-7 at the half after scoring on three rushing touchdowns in the second quarter. Georgia fought back to tie the game 24-24 in the middle of the fourth quarter, but a 51-yard touchdown run by Trey Burton (his second score of the game) gave UF the late advantage. Aaron Murray’s 15-yard touchdown pass to A.J. Green tied the game once again, sending it into overtime for the first time in series history. On the Bulldogs’ first overtime possession, Will Hill intercepted Murray and nearly returned it to end the game, falling just short of the goal line. The Gators took over and Henry iced the game, making up for a missed field goal earlier in the contest.

ESPN COLLEGE GAMEDAY

Aside from the first hour of GameDay being hosted by Florida alum and ESPN reporter Erin Andrews, the Gators and Bulldogs rivalry game will be featured in a separate segment about the series and will also be one of the games argued about during the pickets segment on Saturday’s broadcast at approximately 11:45 a.m.

INJURIES / ABSENCES

Read the remainder of OGGOA’s Gameday Preview including an injury report, players to keep an eye on and multiple preview videos…after the break!

FLORIDA
» Probable: Redshirt senior quarterback John Brantley (lower leg), redshirt junior kicker Caleb Sturgis (knee), sophomore Buck linebacker Ronald Powell (neck/shoulder), senior running back Jeff Demps (ankle), redshirt sophomore wide receiver/kick returner Andre Debose (ankle), junior RB Mike Gillislee (ankle), redshirt senior left guard Dan Wenger (foot)
» Inactive: Redshirt junior cornerback Jeremy Brown (knee)

GEORGIA
» Active: Safety Shawn Williams (suspension – first half), defensive lineman Kwame Geathers (suspension – first half)
» Inactive: WR Malcolm Mitchell (hamstring)

PLAYERS TO KEEP AN EYE ON

FLORIDA
» Redshirt senior quarterback John Brantley (#12)…who has completed 64.7 percent of his passes (66-of-102) this season for 942 yards and five touchdowns but also threw three interceptions including one returned for a score in his last appearance. Brantley has missed the last 10 quarters of action after injuring his ankle against Alabama, a game in which he was leading the offense as well as he had all year.
» Redshirt senior RB Chris Rainey (#1)…who has 775 yards of total offense this season with five touchdowns (including a punt block return). Rainey is averaging 4.9 yards per carry and 15.3 yards per reception and leads Florida in rushing and receiving this season. He became the first player in school history to have a rushing, receiving and return touchdown in the same game, achieved the school and SEC record for career punt blocks (five), and is the active leader in that category nationally. He also rushed for 100 yards or more in three-straight games, the first UF player to do so since Fred Taylor last accomplished that feat 14 years ago.
» Redshirt sophomore wide receiver Andre Debose (#4)…who jumped to second on the Gators’ receiving list with mirror image 65-yard touchdowns against Alabama and LSU. Fans have been waiting for Debose to emerge for some time, and his 233 receiving yards are the second-best on the team through its first seven games. Additionally, his 25.9 yards per catch is the highest average in the SEC and sixth nationally.
» Sophomore RB Trey Burton (#8)…who may continue to take direct snaps after primarily serving as a receiver and running back in the team’s first five games. Burton was being used to help fill the void at the quarterback position created by Brantley’s injury, but his role is to be determined this week.
» Sophomore safety Matt Elam (#22)…who is the most valuable member of Florida’s secondary in only his second year. He is tied for second on the team in tackles (43) and at one point created turnovers in three-straight games (fumble-INT-INT). His 12 tackles against LSU three weeks ago marked a career high, and his 3.5 tackles for loss this season is fourth-best on the team.
» Defensive tackles sophomore Dominique Easley (#2) and redshirt senior Jaye Howard (#6)…who have solidified the interior of one of the Gators’ strongest units. Howard is the team’s most experienced player on defense (24 starts), while Easley may be its most dynamic off the snap, with a first-step raved about by teammates and coaches alike. Howard and Easley have combined for 9.0 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks through the first seven games.
» Linebackers junior Jon Bostic (#52) and redshirt sophomore will linebacker Jelani Jenkins (#3)…who are 1-3 on the team in tackles. Bostic (51) and Jenkins (41) have each excelled in different areas for Florida. The former has five tackles for a loss and three sacks while the latter has one sack and five pass breakups on the year.
» Redshirt junior kicker Caleb Sturigs (#19)…who has returned for Florida after missing eight games one year ago with an injured back. He is 15-for-16 in field goal attempts on the season (long: 51) and is perfect with 19 extra points, leading the Gators with 64 points scored this season. Sturgis holds the national lead with 15 field goals made.

GEORGIA
» QB Aaron Murray (#11)…who is one of the best players at his position in the SEC this season. Murray has completed 60.6 percent of his passes (120-of-198) for 16 touchdowns and seven interceptions, though he will be without his leading receiver.
» RB Isaiah Crowell (#1)…who leads the Bulldogs with 128 carries for 608 yards (4.8 average) with four rushing touchdowns this season. Crowell will be counted on to keep the Gators’ defense honest all game long.
» Tight end Orson Charles (#7)…who takes over as Georgia’s best pass-catcher due to Mitchell being sidelined. Charles is second on the team in receptions (22) and yards (299) and is tied with WR Tavarres King with four touchdown catches in 2011.
» Georgia’s offensive line…which is one of the biggest in the nation. The five starters average a height of 6’4” and weight of 329 lbs. Three of those starters are seniors.
» Cornerbacks Brandon Boykin (#2) and Branden Smith (#1)…who each play on offense, defense and special teams for Georgia. Boykin his four career kickoff returns for touchdowns and splits time at punt returner with Smith. The former is the secondary’s most experienced player with 31 career starts. He also has 27 tackles (4.5 for loss) and two interceptions this year.
» LB Mike Gilliard (#35)…who has led his team in tackles in four of their five victories. Against Tennessee, Gilliard had 12 tackles, a forced fumble, a sack and a pass defense.
» Punter Drew Butler (#13)…who is arguably the nation’s best player at his and a back-to-back Ray Guy Award finalist. Butler won the award in 2009 but lost to Florida’s Chas Henry in 2010. He is currently the SEC’s all-time leader in punt average at 46.1 yards per kick can flip his team’s field position on a dime.

VIDEOS / PREVIEWS

ESPN: Keys to Florida-Georgia

CBS: Florida discusses rivalry with Georgia

CBS: Georgia geared up for Florida

10/26: Quinn used bye to work on fundamentals

Adam Silverstein — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 03:59:50 +0000

As the Florida Gators prepare for the World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party against the No. 22 Georgia Bulldogs on Oct. 29 at a neutral site in Jacksonville, FL, defensive coordinator Dan Quinn met with the media late Wednesday to discuss the bye week and his team’s upcoming contest.

GATORS GET BACK TO THE BASICS

With so much to improve on after three-straight losses, Quinn said he used the bye week to focus on the players themselves and not the game plan for Georgia. He gave each player – and each position – separate assignments to concentrate on in order to improve the most efficient way possible.

Like always, Quinn wants the improvements to begin up front in the trenches. “Let’s play better at the line of scrimmage,” he said. “I thought at the last outing that performance was better. Playing blocks at the line of scrimmage and tackling were going to be such a big emphasis for us.

“As you go back through the bye week, you go through the games, take out some calls of what we’re doing well, statistically look at the film and [point out] the things we’ve had trouble with. Is it worth in these certain calls staying with it or getting rid of them and adding something new? That’s kind of what we did. We made a real big emphasis at the line of scrimmage and [with] tackling during the bye week. Just a hard ball, fundamental, hand placement technique [standpoint], and I felt it was real beneficial for the team.”

Quinn noted that the defense spent additional periods during practice on tackling drills, ensuring that this would not be an issue going forward this season. “The biggest thing is you drill it a lot,” he explained. “Each day you devote some practice time to not just the technique but angle tackles and open-field tackling. It’s more just the time spent on it.”

NEEDING ELAM AND POWELL TO SUCCEED

Sophomores safety Matt Elam and buck linebacker Ronald Powell have played quite differently through the first seven games of the season. While Elam has been the model of consistency and versatility, Powell had one big game and has struggled otherwise.

“Matt provides a lot for us on defense. For him to be a guy who can come from safety and then move down into nickel is really a key guy for us – he can play two positions. I was really pleased with the way he played nickel in the last ballgame,” Quinn said proudly. “He’s a good player at both spots. Sometimes with a lot of good players, the closer they get to the line of scrimmage, sometimes they get in the action. I wish I had another one. I’d play him at both spots.”

Quinn was less complimentary of Powell overall but said he believes the extra work during the bye week may have done a lot to help him going forward.

“When we got together, for him, two of the things we had were his pad level was one thing that we thought he could really improve on, and his use of the hands was something that he worked on hard in the week,” he said. “I’m looking forward to seeing him play.”

In addition to Powell needing to improve his game, he appeared to injure his neck/shoulder during the LSU game and did not travel with the team to Auburn. He returned to practice during the bye and is a full-go this week.

NOTES AND QUOTES

» On not having caused any turnovers in the last three games: “It’s a big emphasis for us. [...] Certainly some are going to come from the way we can rush the quarterback better. That’s part of it. When we play on third down. We’ve played a few good running clubs the last few weeks – teams that were committed to running. That factors in a little bit. No excuses. [We] got to get the football. It’s something we address with everybody each day, too.”

» On Georgia quarterback Aaron Murray: “He’s really a talented quarterback. [...] He gets a lot of velocity on the ball; he can really get it out of his hands fast. He’s a guy that can make plays both with his arm and with his feet. You make a big emphasis on how you pass rush him, get your contain and make sure you’re pushing the pocket and things like that. He provides a real challenge for you because he is a dual-threat.”

» On the Bulldogs’ big offensive line: “Both of their tackles are big guys. Usually you have to be leery of what the offensive line is listed at as you could be plus or minus some – both in the NFL and in college. Sometimes they’re listed at 330 and that guy hasn’t been 330 in four years. They certainly have a big front, and it’s a good challenge for us.”

» On if he is excited to participate in his first Florida-Georgia game: “It’s kind of cool that there are some Gators here that can talk you through that – with Terry Jackson and Marquand Manuel. [...] It’s kind of cool to be a part of it. Everybody says the build-up and the ride to the stadium and everything. Although I’ve seen it on TV, and you’ve seen the pictures of the stadium and everything, and it looks like exactly like the kind of environment that you’d want to coach in. I can’t wait.”

» On the Bulldogs stomping on the field in 2007: “I have seen that reply a number of times – on an endless loops. I’m ready to see something else.”

10/26: Will Muschamp’s SEC teleconference

Adam Silverstein — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 15:40:45 +0000

With the Florida Gators coming off a bye week and set to face the Georgia Bulldogs in a rivalry game on Saturday at 3:30 p.m., head coach Will Muschamp spoke during the Southeastern Conference coaches teleconference to provide some insight about where his team is at heading into the contest.

BRANTLEY REMAINS ON TRACK TO START SATURDAY

Muschamp addressed his potential starting quarterback’s health in his opening statement, noting that, “John Brantley has continued to progress well through the week. He’s expected to play on Saturday unless something shocking comes up through the latter part of the week.” He went on to say that, “He’s throwing it well, throwing it well here in practice. We’ll progress through today and Thursday and then have the walk-through on Friday to see how he continues to improve.”

He also said that Brantley’s return will help the team not only from a physical standpoint but also in improving confidence that may have been lost after dropping three-straight games. “There’s no question psychologically as a senior quarterback and how well he was playing and how well we were playing offensively when he was in the game, it was a psychological advantage for our entire team,” Muschamp noted.

“The quarterback position is just such a critical position on your football team – different than any other from the standpoint of having that guy that’s been there, done that, that’s had success, that gives confidence on both sides of the ball and special teams and creates some good momentum for your team.”

NOTES AND QUOTES

» On the health of senior running back Jeff Demps: “Jeff has practiced well. We feel like the off week obviously helped. We feel like he’ll be at top speed.”

» On the transfer of sophomores tight end Gerald Christian and Robert Clark: “The discussions were private. Let’s talk about the players that are on our football team right now. Those two young men are not a part of our football team anymore.”

» On if he’s building up rivalry week with the team: “I don’t think I have to stand in our team meeting room and explain to them how important this rivalry is to the University of Florida and to our players and with what’s at stake to go to Atlanta for us. We need to win the game. They understand that, and they see all of that and what’s at stake.”

» On playing in a rivalry game: “There’s no question that there’s a little more juice involved in the game as far as a game like this when it is one of the great rivalries in all of sports. There’s certainly a little extra juice involved. If you’re a competitor, you go out and compete regardless of the situation. Whether it’s practice, whether it’s a game, whatever is. That’s just kind of the way I try to approach it.”

» On Georgia quarterback Aaron Murray’s talent and ability: “He throws the ball very well. He’s completing over 60 percent of his passes. You don’t really look at their passing game as an underneath passing game; they’ve got a lot of vertical throws. So when you look at a vertical passing game and the guy’s competing 60 percent, that’s impressive number one. Number two is mobility. He runs well, and I think he’s got a great presence in the pocket as far as feeling rushes, getting away from rushes and getting rid of the ball on time.”

Florida QB Brantley “probable” for Georgia

Adam Silverstein — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 17:14:14 +0000

After two weeks on the shelf, it appears as if redshirt senior quarterback John Brantley is on track to return for the Florida Gators as they take on the Georgia Bulldogs this Saturday in the World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party.

During his weekly press conference on Monday, Florida head coach Will Muschamp declared Brantley “probable” for the game, noting that rehabilitation from his ankle injury is going well and that the team does not expect any setbacks when he officially returns to practice this week.

“He will practice [Monday] in a limited role. We feel like John will be ready to go for the game,” Muschamp said. “As we progress through the week, we will know more about his status, but we plan on him practicing today.”

The Gators’ offense is in dire need of a boost. Since Brantley went down with a high ankle sprain one month ago, Florida has been outscored 72-17.

Muschamp said Monday that Brantley was able to throw the ball during the bye week as part of his rehab, but he did not technically practice with the team.

“He didn’t necessarily practice, but through his rehab with the ankle – doing some drops and some different things – he did throw some there on the practice field,” he noted. “As far as partaking in practice, he didn’t do any, but he was on the practice field, did some throwing motion stuff and worked on a couple drops here and there just to see how the ankle took and how it felt the next day.

“I’m very pleased with his progress. He’s worked extremely hard to get back.”

Prior to his injury four weeks ago at home against Alabama, Brantley was arguably playing the best he has as a starter at this point in his career. He was 11/16 for 190 yards with a 65-yard touchdown in the game; however, he also through a pick-six early in the second quarter that put Florida behind 17-10.

“He was really playing well against a very good defense. He threw for close to 200 yards in the first half,” Muschamp said.

“On third-down conversions, I think we had two dropped passes that would have been conversions for third downs. He had hit some deep balls and was really playing very well, managing our team, getting us in-and-out of the right runs. If you look at the first four ballgames, he certainly played very well. Getting him back is going to be a huge psychological shock for our football team; I really believe that.”

With Brantley set to return as the starter, the two freshman quarterbacks previously competing for playing time in his stead will now fight for the backup job.

Jeff Driskel, who also injured his ankle when he replaced Brantley during the Alabama game, missed the following contest but started the second half against Auburn on Oct. 15. Jacoby Brissett saw the field for the first time in his college career as a starter at LSU on Oct. 8 and held that job during the first half of the Auburn game.

Driskel was 9/18 for 75 yards versus Auburn, while Brissett’s combined line was 13/24 for 139 yards with one touchdown and three interceptions over six quarters.

Muschamp said that both Driskel and Brissett will get reps on Monday considering Brantley will be worked back slowly.

He does not expect to make a decision on the No. 2 quarterback until the end of the week but said he was pleased with how both players performed during the bye.

Photo Credit: Unknown

FOUR BITS: Gator Day, Tebow, Georgia, Murray

Adam Silverstein — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 20:39:55 +0000

1 » With Sunday’s Miami Dolphins vs. Denver Broncos game at Sun Life Stadium in Miami, FL also serving as a Gator Day that will honor the 2008 national champion Florida Gators, Dolphins president Mike Dee said Wednesday that his team has sold 10,000 since Tim Tebow was named the Broncos’ starter last week. “The demand and interest in the game clearly has picked up since the announcement was made,” Dee said, according to the Palm Beach Post. In addition to a halftime ceremony honoring the team (which includes a performance by the Pride of the Sunshine University of Florida Fighting Gator Marching Band), there will be a pre-game event featuring Nat Moore, Louis Oliver and potentially other former Florida football players. Up to 20 Gators will be on hand including former head coach Urban Meyer.

2 » On a conference call with the media Wednesday, Tebow spoke about returning to Miami and the festivities surrounding the game. Though he said he appreciates the team being honored, he is not thinking about what is going on at halftime and is only concentrating on getting ready for the game right now. Tebow also said he’s excited that he gets to see Dolphins center Mike Pouncey and will be prepared to face Miami’s defense. “They have a very athletic defense. They have a lot of speed,” he said. “We’re just going to have to take care of the ball, be smart and ultimately execute.”

3 » The Southeastern Conference announced early Wednesday that two Georgia Bulldogs – defensive linemen Kwame Geathers and safety Shawn Williams – will be suspended for the first half of their next game for violations that occurred against Vanderbilt on Saturday. Williams – a starter – committed a flagrant personal foul, while Geathers was involved in a fight during the game. Georgia’s next contest is against Florida in the World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party in Jacksonville, FL on Oct. 29.

4 » The Gators are in the heads of at least one member of the Bulldogs, and that is quarterback Aaron Murray who admitted this week that he dwelled on his overtime interception to then-Florida free safety Will Hill. “I think the week after, I watched it five to eight times. Something like that,” he said, according to ESPN. “I watched it a couple of times a day for a while, and then throughout the offseason I watched it in the summer.” Murray attributes his poor performance in 2010’s contest due to excitement but believes that will be behind him this time around. “It’s a big game, so I was probably a little too juiced up,” he said. “Hopefully I got that out of my system last year and can go in there and just relax and play.”

Brantley recovering but not back yet for Gators

Adam Silverstein — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 16:41:08 +0000

Already sidelined two weeks with a high ankle sprain suffered against Alabama, Florida Gators redshirt senior quarterback John Brantley has shed the crutches but is still wearing a boot and is not expected to return to practice this week, head coach Will Muschamp said during his weekly press conference on Tuesday.

Florida is cautiously optimistic and hopeful that Brantley can return for their next game on Oct. 29 against the Georgia Bulldogs in Jacksonville, FL, but his status will be reevaluated next week after a few more days of treatment and rehabilitation. He will do some throwing exercising this week with the hope that he can return on Monday.

“Most of all, [it's his] mobility,” Muschamp said. “As far as the straight ahead, he’d probably be OK. As far as the lateral movement, that’s where you get into an issue with the ankle, just being able to move laterally. We feel like right now treatment is the best option. As far as that treatment is concerned, there is some physical action but not a whole lot. He’s staying off it as much [as possible]. John’s been living in the training room for the last three weeks. He’s doing everything he can do to get back. So it’s been very frustrating for him. Hopefully, as we work through this week, he continues to get better.”

Asked if Brantley could play at less than 100 percent health, Muschamp indicated that decision is out of his hands.

“That’s not my call. That’s the trainers’ call and that’s John’s call,” he said. “If he feels confident playing and our trainers say he’s OK to play, then he’ll play, but I don’t get into those decisions. That’s something the medical staff needs to handle. I certainly never want to put a young man in a situation where he can’t be successful.”

Freshmen Jeff Driskel and Jacoby Brissett will split repetitions at quarterback 50-50 this week and going forward until the Gators’ starter is able to return to the field.

“Whether or not – and I think it was Urban [Meyer] I heard say it – whether or not you say your quarterback is your leader, he is your leader,” Muschamp said. “Certainly John being a fifth-year senior, playing at a high level, was our leader offensively if not with our team. When you lose that, it’s tough.”

Photo Credit: Unknown

SIX BITS: Beal, Benedict, Blakely, SEC, Walker

Adam Silverstein — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 16:43:19 +0000

1 » Attending an offseason basketball camp put on by New Jersey Nets point guard Deron Williams, ESPN’s Andy Katz got another look at Florida Gators freshman guard Brad Beal and again came away impressed – but not because of his shooting.

Beal has been touted as a pure shooter, and he showcased a bit of that ability Saturday afternoon. But he was arguably most impressive off the ball. Beal crashed the glass from the weak side for a series of offensive rebounds and putbacks, using his 6-foot-7 wingspan (which is sort of crazy for a guy measured by camp staff at 6-foot-3.5) to rise to the rim and finish plays against taller defenders. Billy Donovan‘s team desperately needs a more consistent outside shooting presence. Beal should easily provide that. But he may also bring some bonus abilities to the floor, too.

2 » Former five-star recruit Brent Benedict, a redshirt freshman with the Georgia Bulldogs has been granted an unconditional release by the school, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. This is news for Florida fans because Benedict was once highly recruited by the Gators and is said to be heavily considering transferring to the University of Florida. Though he is a talented player, Benedict is still recovering from a terrible knee injury he suffered during his senior year of high school. His knee was completely reconstructed, and Benedict also had to fight through nerve damage in order to return to the field. The AJC reports that “Benedict claimed in march to be ‘100 percent’ recovered from that injury and was medically cleared to play, but he continued to show effects … even in summer workouts.”

3 » Four-star running back Mike Blakely, who similarly received an unconditional release from Florida when he expressed his desire to transfer, may be eligible to play for the Auburn Tigers as soon as 2011 if the school gets its way. According to the Mobile Press-Register, Auburn compliance director Rich McGlynn has petitioned the NCAA to make Blakely eligible immediately due to the fact that he never suited up for the Gators after undergoing shoulder surgery in Gainesville, FL. “We have filed a wavier in an attempt to see if we can have Mike be immediately eligible and we’re in that process right now,” he told the paper.

4 » The Southeastern Conference has sent a proposal to the NCAA outlining significant changes it would like implemented in the recruiting process, according to CBSSports.com’s Bryan Fischer. In short form, some of the changes the SEC and commissioner Mike Slive are proposing include: (a) allowing text messaging between coaches and recruits, (b) earlier first off-campus contact, (c) no Twitter monitoring for who you can follow/be followed by, (d) coaches can receive phone calls from recruits, parents or coaches at any point, (e) eliminate “quiet” period and expand other three recruiting periods, (f) banning seven-on-seven camps and other “non-scholastic” events.

5 » With their 2011 recruiting class now in the fold and the 2012 class coming along nicely, the Gators have begun reaching out to 2013 prospects with the hopes of bringing them on board. Most notably, Florida is making a strong push for the No. 3 overall prospect in the nation according to Rivals, 6’9” 205-pound power forward Chris Walker (Bonifay, FL). According to InsideTheGators.com, Walker has UF in his top five along with Baylor, Kentucky, Ohio State and Syracuse. Walker told ITG’s Tim Gould that Kentucky’s prowess for developing NBA talent interests him but that the Gators talk about him being a program-changer who can make a major impact on the court from day one. He is not planning on making a decision in the near future but could potentially be a huge get for Florida.

6 » UF’s loss in the 2011 College World Series Championship Series not only cost the school its third national championship of the 2010-11 season, it also put the state of Florida out a few dozen bucks. Governor Rick Scott made a bet with South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley that the Gators would prevail in the event. Because Florida lost, Scott will send a key lime pie from Kermit’s Key Lime Shoppe in Key West, FL to Haley. If UF had won, Scott would have received a barbecue dinner from Haley.